Dhaka elevated expressway by 2020 : PM Sheikh Hasina

Dhaka : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has recently said construction of 46.73-km Dhaka Elevated Expressway would be completed by 2020.

"Construction of 1,189 working pile driving, 236 pile cap, 20 cross beam, 119 column and 150 eye girder have so far been completed till now," she said this while responding to a starred question in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The Prime Minister said the elevated expressway is being constructed along with ramps from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali point of Dhaka-Chattogram highway via Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Sonargaon Hotel, Palashi, Moghbazar and Kamalapur.

The Awami League government has undertaken a plan to construct elevated expressway road aimed at removing traffic jam from the capital city Dhaka and ensuring safe roads," she told the House.

Sheikh Hasina said that the elevated expressway is being constructed under Public- Private-Partnership method, which is funded by Italian-Thai Development Company Ltd, adding, "Bangladesh government is providing 27 per cent viability gap funding (VGF) in the project."

Besides, the government in principal adopted a decision to construct 39.24-km Dhaka- East-West Elevated Express-way at a cost of Tk 16,389 crore under G-to-G (BOOT) method along with finance, she said.

The Prime Minister said Malaysian government submitted a proposal to construct the Dhaka-East-West Ele-vated Expressway under G-to-G (BOOT) method.

She said the government approved 24-km Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway for constructing with a cost of Tk 16,901 crore, which would be implemented under G-to- G method.

A commercial agreement was signed with Chinese government's nominated firm China National Import and Export Corporation (CMC) on November 29, 2017 to this end, Sheikh Hasina said.

In the project, Bangladesh government would invest Tk 5,951.41 crore and Chinese Exim Bank would invest Tk 10,949.90 crore, she informed the House.